WO2004049822A1 - Thickening composition for sauce and the like - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention concerns a shelf stable, fluid and portionable food thickener composition containing non gelatinized starch. The present invention concerns a new type of dispersible and fluid starch-based concentrated composition, dispersible in hot/cold liquid with minimal or no lump formation, usable as base for sauce or as thickener/binder in foods, that can be obtained by suspending starch within an aqueous base containing at least one au depressing agent such that the water activity of the product allows shelf stability without pasteurisation and/or adjusting the pH while preserving its fluidity.

Description

THICKENING COMPOSITION FOR SAUCE AND THE LIKE

The present invention concerns the domain of food thickeners or binders and especially fluid or liquid food thickeners or binders. The present invention concerns a shelf stable, fluid and portionable food thickener composition containing non gelatinized starch.

The texture, unctuousness as well as the viscosity of food products like sauces, soups and gravy in simmered meals, like stew for example, are very important organoleptic features for this type of dishes.

The unctuousness of sauce and gravy are traditionally obtained by a combination of fat and polysaccharides such as starch. Cream and butter are often used for providing creaminess and bodyness while flour gives the viscosity to the mixture . However, the preparation of unctuous sauces like bechamel is cumbersome. Indeed it involves several steps such as the preparation of a roux, i.e. heating flour in fat until desired colour is obtained, followed by addition of a liquid, then homogenization and lengthy cooking of the obtained mixture in order to produce a smooth texture as well as for gelatinizing the starch granules. This is a long and cumbersome procedure.

Regarding binding and thickening of sauces, it is known in the culinary art to add a couple of table-spoons of flour, dispersing it in the cold liquid phase, bring to the boil and simmering the mixture in order to develop viscosity and unctuousness . Some ready-for-use binders or thickeners are available on the market. These are mainly in the form of powdery or granulated product made of non-gelatinized and/or pre- gelatinized starch agglomerated alone or with maltodextrines, fat and optionally emulsifiers.

Such products are not always easy to dissolve and often lead to the formation of lumps in the saucepan. Moreover due to their fat content, these products are not always well perceived by consumer because of nutritional and fitness concerns.

Starch containing dry-foods mixtures are easily manufactured and distributed to the trade as well as being stable against degradation. In order to obtain the desired end product or benefit, the prescribed recipe must be followed. Also, if the consumer wishes to add further thickener in the course of the simmering of the thickened sauce, there may be some problem of lumping.

Alternatively, directly consumable, aqueous based starch thickeners are convenient, but prone to degradative changes ( icrobial, enzymatic, chemical or physical spoilage) . In order to preserve the shelf-stability of such product, a pasteurization is necessary, such process step increases the cost as well as the complexity of the manufacture. Moreover once the product is opened, its shelf-stability is not ensured anymore. The convenience of such product is not ideal because it sticks to the spoon when portioned. Moreover if one wishes to add twice the product into a dish it is necessary to use another clean spoon for avoiding to introduce sauce in the pot. Also, in order to ensure good shelf-stability once opened, such compositions should contain chemical preservatives which are not well perceived by consumers.

In EP 0 012 465 discloses pasteurized water-based concentrates in sealed containers. In order to minimise the swelling of the starch during pasteurisation, the osmotic pressure of the composition is increased as to obtain a water activity (aw) of 0.77 to 0.92 using a series of suitable compounds like salts, glycerol, glucose, protein hydrolysates . The disposable sealed containers (portions) are stored at room temperature until consumption. The concentrates are packaged in single-use container in order to avoid the problem of stability once the packaging is opened.

EP 0 970 619 describes ambient stable concentrates which yield, upon dilution with an aqueous liquid, a finished sauce, soup or gravy. The microbial stability is achieved here mainly by a pH of 4 or lower. Since kitchen salt is also added in a proportion of 1 % to 8 %, the accompanying lowering of the water activity also helps slightly to increase the microbial stability of the concentrate. The water activity of the examples given in EP 0 970 619 is of 0.96 to 0.98 at a kitchen salt concentration of 5 % .

Another product is known from US 3 949 104. In contrast to the above examples using hot swellable (or so called cook- up starches, e.g. native starches), US 3 949 104 describes a formulation were granular cold swellable starches (e.g. chemically modified starches) are dispersed in an aqueous dispersing system containing a swelling inhibitor. In this way, the concentrate will not thicken until it is added to a sufficient amount of water as to dissipate the inhibitor effect of the dispersing medium.

The aim of the present invention is to provide a friendly- use and convenient binder/thickener concentrated composition that is easy to manufacture, shelfstable without preservatives either packaged or after opening and that can allow the reconstitution of a thick or unctuous food product or for the thickening of liquid food products in a simple, quick and stepwise manner.

Now it has been surprisingly found by the present inventors that a new type of dispersible and fluid starch-based concentrated composition, dispersible in hot/cold liquid with minimal or no lump formation, usable as base for sauce or as thickener/binder in foods, that can be obtained by suspending starch within an aqueous base containing at least one a_w depressing agent such that the water activity of the product allows shelf stability without pasteurisation and/or adjusting the pH while preserving its fluidity.

Therefore, a first object of this invention, is to provide a shelfstable fluid concentrated composition comprising starch dispersed in a aqueous base, the aqueous base containing at least one dissolved a_w depressing agent reducing a_w to a value of less than 0.7, preferably less than 0.65. Shelf stability means here that the product can be stored at ambient temperature in a container for several months and that during this time the container may be opened repeatedly to take out an aliquot without that the product deteriorates microbiologically.

Starch that can be used in the composition according to the present invention may be any food starch either native or modified ones. Suitable starch may be selected from the group comprising potato starch, maize starch, wheat starch, and rice starch used alone or in combination. The starch may be in a native or modified form, either physically or chemically modified. It is preferred that the starch contained in the present composition be in an unswollen state, because if swollen, it would have a too thick consistency that could prevent the optimal flowability as well as the pourability, manipulation and of course convenience of the composition. However, it is conceivable that a minor part of the starch be in a swollen state, namely less than about 5 %, preferably less than about 2 % ; depending on the amount of water, aw depressing agent and on the type of packaging used. Thus, the remainder of - or all - the starch of the composition will be swollen upon heating the product wherein it is used, simultaneously or after diluting the concentrated composition.

In the present invention the aqueous base usable as suspending medium for the starch contains at least one dissolved a_w depressing agent selected in the group comprising sugars, sugar derivatives such as polyols, inorganic salts, salts of organic acids. Suitable a_w depressing agent may be sorbitol since it shows the combined advantages of high solubility, strong water binding capacity leading to low a_w value as well as suitable viscosity in order to maintain the composition of the present invention in a fluid state.

Suitable additional aw depressing agents may be selected from the group comprising potassium acetate, phosphoric acid and salts thereof. Kitchen salt, NaCl, may be used in the present composition for its contribution either for its aw depressing activity and for its savoury properties in the case of culinary applications for example.

The expression fluid means that the viscosity of the composition according to the present invention is less than about 1500 Pa.s, preferably less than about 1000 Pa.s and more preferably less than about 500 Pa.s at a shear rate comprised between about 1 and 100 s^~x , at a temperature of about 25 °C. It can be noticed that the composition according to the present invention is characterized by a non-Newtonian behaviour, i.e. the viscosity decreases when the shear rate applied is increased. The present composition may thus be pourable or spoonable in order to allow easy portioning. Advantageously, the viscosity of the composition according to the present invention may be adjusted in order to be displayed in a squeezable packaging such as a squeezable bottle fitted with a re-closable cap, for example. This will enable the product to be packed in jar, bottles, tubes for example. The packaging used for packing the composition may be a reusable one (openable and reclosable) or disposable one for delivering one dose of composition suitable for thickening one portion meal, for example.

The viscosity of the composition according to the present invention may be evaluated by measuring the flow curve using a Physica MCR 300 rotational visco eter and a plate

(plate geometry 25 mm and 1 mm gap) at specified shear rate and temperature.

Additionally, the aqueous base may also comprise a soluble food grade thickener such as xanthan or guar gum in an amount up to 5 %. Its purpose being to avoid possible sedimentation of the suspended starch when the product is rather fluid.

It has been noticed that the complex system according to the present inventive composition comprises starch granules suspended in the aqueous phase whose consistency remains sufficiently low to allow easy portioning and nevertheless no sedimentation of the starch occurring.

As a general composition, the composition according to the invention comprises from about 10 % to 55 % of water, preferably from about 15 to 30 % ; from about 5 % to 50 % of sorbitol, preferably from about 10 to 40 % ; from about 0 % to 20 % kitchen salt, preferably from about 2,5 to 17 % ; from about 0 % to 5 % of a gum like Xanthan or guar gum preferably from about 0,1 to 0,5 % ; and from about 10 % to 50 % of starch, preferably from about 15 to 40 % .

The composition may also be supplemented with compounds like proteins, amino acids and a variety of raw materials for foodstuffs like yeast and other extracts, aromas, etc as used for producing soups and sauces.

Although the composition according to the present invention may be used without any flavouring in order to provide a white base sauce upon dilution or to thicken an already flavoured bouillon base for example, the present composition may also be supplemented with different flavourings as to produce concentrates such that when dispersed and heated in hot liquids will produce thickened soups and sauces ready for consumption. These can be known substances such as herbs, spices, oils or wine for example. Also, in order to give specific flavour to the present composition, process flavours or synthetic, natural or natural-identical flavouring may be added to the composition according to the invention. Suitable flavours and aroma may be mushroom, tomato, cheese, meat, ham for example. Additionally, vegetable and meat extract or powder may be added to the present composition and for example, extracts or powder from onion, carrot, celery, tomato, beef, pork and the like may also be added in the composition.

It is noticeable that the present composition does not contain fat while it is able to develop unctuousness upon dilution into hot liquid base. However, the addition of food grade fat to the present composition, even if not preferred, can also be encompassed in order to provide additional mouthfeel to the final sauce obtained. Suitable fat may be of vegetal or animal origin whether fully or partially hydrogenated or non-hydrogenated ones. These may be oil, shortening, butter or any suitable food grade fat. The "aqueous base" of the composition according to the present invention may be preferably pure water but any suitable water based liquid such as milk, cream and other milk derivatives may be used in order to give to the product a creamy or milky appearance and taste. Alternatively suitable food grade whiteners can be added like coffee whiteners or titanium oxide. For culinary application such as gravy the present composition may also be coloured with any food grade colorant or flavouring such as caramel or process flavours, for example.

The thickener composition according to the present invention can be turned into a sauce, a sauce base or a soup just be diluting with water or any aqueous liquid, whether cold or hot, such as milk, wine, bouillon or gravy for example. Gently stirring will be necessary as well as slight boiling or simmering in order to obtain the right and homogeneous consistency. The composition according to the present invention may be prepared according to classical mixing process step known in the art of food technology. For example, water or aqueous bases is added to a vessel equipped with a strong mixer, which is then put in operation during the whole preparation procedure. Thereafter, a chosen amount of gum may be added if desired in case of low viscosity composition as stated above, and stirring is continued for about 5 to 10 in, thereafter the obtained dispersion is heated at about 40 to 60 °C. Then a pre- ix is added containing the chosen amounts of aw reducing agent such as salts, sugar or sugar derivative as well as possible flavouring ingredients proper for a sauce or a soup. Once these components have dissolved or dispersed, the starch is finally added to the vessel and stirring is continued for about 2 to 15 min to produce the final product which may then be filled in containers (tins, tubes, vials, vessels, etc) according to the usual procedures in the trade.

It has been surprisingly noticed that the viscosity of the composition of the present invention exhibits a slight increase followed by stabilisation to its final value in the following 2 to 6 days after its manufacture. Therefore, for the viscosity caracterization, the mentioned viscosities correspond to the ones of the stabilized composition for which the evolution of the viscosity is rather stable and fixed to its definitive value, i.e. the value of the product to be purchased and used by the consumer that will be faced to upon utilisation.

The present invention is here illustrated by way of examples .

EXAMPLES

Example 1 Table 1 gives a first embodiment of a liquid thickener concentrate according to the present invention. This thickener has a water activity of 0.632 and a pH of 6.6 after mixing. Dispersing 60 g to 80 g per litre of this thickener with a whisker in hot water or a culinary stock and simmering 1 min will produce a thickness proper to a creamy sauce. Table 1. Example 1 of fluid thickener concentrate

Raw Material %

The fluidity of the thickeners of the present invention was characterised by measuring the flow curve using a Physica MCR 300 rotational viscometer and a plate - plate geometry (25 mm diameter and 1 mm gap), at 25°C. The values presented are means of at least two measurements. The viscosity was measured after 5 days storage at ambient temperature.

The fluidity of the embodiments presented here was therefore characterised by a portion of the flow curve

(instead of a single viscosity measurement at a specific shear rate) . Table 2 therefore, gives the flow curve for example 1 for shear rates between 1.0 sec^-1 and 100 sec^-1. Table 2. Flow curve for example 1 ,

The water activity of the binder concentrate was of 0.647 and its pH was of 6.8. Dispersing 60 g to 100 g of this thickener per litre hot liquid and simmering 1 min will produce a thickness proper to a sauce.

Example 2

Table 3. Raw Material

The flow curve of example 2 after 6 days of storage at room temperature is found in table 4. Table 4. Flow curve for example 2, measurement at 25° C

Example 3

Table 5 presents an example of liquid binder concentrate containing whole milk cream. This thickener can be used in the preparation of creamy soups and sauces. The water activity was here 0.626 and the pH 7.55. The flow curve of this embodiment is found in table 6 (measurement after 6 days of storage) . The corresponding flow curve can be read from table 6.

Table 5. Example 3, based on whole milk cream

Raw Material

Table 6. Low curve for example 3

Alternatively, a commercial coffee whitener can be used instead of whole milk cream in the manufacturing of the thickener. Table 7 gives a corresponding example using the whitener Edifett N 77 SH of MEGGLE GmbH, Megglestrasse, D- 83512 Wasserburg / Inn, Germany. The water activity of the product was 0.666 and pH of 7.5.

Example 4

Table 7. Raw Material

Table 8. Flow curve at 25 °C for example 4

Example 5

Table 9 gives an example of a thickener containing a cook up starch derived from maize starch by chemical modification. The starch Colflo 67 is a commercial product of National Starch & Chemical. The water activity of the concentrated thickener was 0.664 and its pH 6.75. Table 10 gives the corresponding flow curve after 4 days of storage at room temperature.

Table 9. Example 5 Raw Material

Table 10. Flow curve for example 5

Example 6

Table 11 sets out the composition of such a gravy concentrate. The premix used in the recipe was made of commercially available ingredients and contained salt to achieve an a_w value of 0.662. The pH was here of 5.2.

Table 11. Example 6. Gravy concentrate Raw Material %

The flow curve for example 6 after 6 days of storage at room temperature is found in table 12. Table 12. Flow curve at 25° C for example 6

Claims

1. Shelfstable fluid concentrated composition comprising starch dispersed in an aqueous base, the aqueous base containing at least one dissolved a_w depressing agent reducing a_w to a value of less than 0.7.

2. Composition according to claim 1, characterized in that the starch is in an unswollen state.

3. Composition according to claim 1, characterized in that the a_w depressing agent is selected in the group comprising sugars, sugar derivatives such as polyols, inorganic salts, salts of organic acids or combination thereof.

4. Composition according to claim 3, characterized in that the a_w depressing agent is selected from the group comprising acetate, phosphoric acid and salts thereof.

5. Composition according to claim 3, characterized in that the aw depressing agent is sorbitol.

6. Composition according to claim 1, characterized by a viscosity of less than 1000 Pa.s, preferably less than about 500 Pa.s, at a shear rate comprised between about 1 and 100 s^"1, at a temperature of about 25 °C.

7. Composition according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises up to 5 % of a food grade thickener.

8. Composition according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises from about 10 % to 55 % of water, preferably from about 15 to 30 % ; from about 5 % to 50 % of sorbitol, preferably from about 10 to 40 % ; from about 0 % to 20 % kitchen salt, preferably from about 2,5 to 17 % ; from about 0 % to 5 % of a gum like Xanthan or guar gum preferably from about 0,1 to 0,5 % ; and from about 10 % to 50 % of starch, preferably from about 15 to 40 %.